(a) The
billing period for utility services provided by the city will be from
the 15th of the month to the 15th of the following month. Utility
bills will be mailed to customers on the last working day of each
month.
(b) The
joint utility system charges shall be billed jointly. The bill shall
show the separate charges for each service.
(c) Utility
bills are due and payable at the city hall on or before the 15th day
of the month. All bills not paid by this date are considered past
due and will be subject to a penalty of 10% of the amount due. Post
dated checks will not be accepted in payment for utility bills.
(d) Utility
service to past due accounts will be cut off 10 days following notification
of past due status.
(e) A reconnect
fee must be paid to have services continued following cut off for
nonpayment. This fee shall be $25.00 if reconnection is made during
regular working hours and $50.00 if reconnection is made after regular
working hours. Customers, who are habitually cut off for nonpayment,
may be required to pay a higher reconnect fee. Past due accounts must
be paid in full to have utilities reconnected.
(Ordinance 169-05, sec. 5, adopted 2/24/05)
The city may offer a deferred payment arrangement to any residential
or commercial customer with a delinquent account. If offered, such
arrangement shall be made under the following terms and conditions:
(1) The
customer must agree to pay current and future bills in a timely fashion
and pay the delinquent bill in reasonable installments.
(2) The
size of the customer’s delinquent account, the ability to pay,
payment history, the time the debt has been outstanding, the reason
for such indebtedness and other relevant factors shall determine the
type of arrangements offered by the city.
(3) Service
will not be discontinued so long as the customer complies with the
terms of the deferred payment arrangement.
(4) If
the customer fails to fulfill the terms of the deferred payment arrangement,
the city clerk shall have the right to disconnect the service without
offering a subsequent deferred payment arrangement.
(5) If
services to the customer are discontinued for failing to fulfill the
terms of the deferred payment arrangement, the account must be paid
in full and the standard reconnect fee must be paid for services to
be reinstated.
(Ordinance 169-05, sec. 5, adopted 2/24/05)